The Open Gate Community?

The Open Gate Community is a sangha founded to help nurture the meditation practice of persons in prison. Open Gate also assists prison meditators in making a successful transition out of prison to community life.

Some Thoughts Which Guide Us

Mindlessness and Ignorance are the road to suffering. Mindfulness, leading to Compassion and Wisdom is path that transcends suffering. Meditation is the engine that fuels travel on the path.

I am one with the bird and pirate. I am one with the statesman and the saint. We are one. As long as one is imprisoned, none are free.

Inspiration

Open Gate is founded in the spirit of mindful and compassionate action and service (engaged Buddhism) as taught and exemplified by engaged spiritual teachers such as Thich Nhat Hanh but also “non-Buddhists” such as Martin Luther King Jr., and Gandhi. Open Gate is inspired primarily by the Eightfold Path of the Buddha and the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing¹.

Open Gate is guided by the wisdom and example of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha (Jp: Jizo) as exemplified by this evocation from a “Zen” Chanting Service.

We evoke your name Ksitigarbha. We aspire to learn your way so as to be present where there is darkness, suffering, oppression and despair, so that we may bring light, hope, relief, and liberation to those places. We are determined not to forget about or abandon those who are in desperate situations. We shall do our best to establish contact with them when they cannot find a way out of their suffering and when their cries for help, justice, equality, and human rights are not heard. We know that hell can be found in many places on earth and we do not want to contribute to making more hells on earth. Rather we want to help unmake the hells which already exist. We shall practice to realize the qualities of perseverance and stability which belong to the earth, so that like the earth we can always be supportive and faithful to those who need us.

Open Gate Asks Your Patience

Open Gate is new. It has limited resources in terms of people, money, and experience. We now provide assistance in only four prisons, three states (Montana, Idaho, and Washington), and three communities. We are creating our path by walking it a mindful step at a time. We will make mistakes, but we will be informed and taught by them with your help and patience.

Open Gate’s People

The Open Gate Community consists of the meditators in prison who see themselves as part of the community, and as well the clergy and volunteers who go into prisons and/or who help prison meditators with the transition from prison to community.

Special Project—The Way Home

Open Gate is home of the original Way—Home project. This project was originated by members of the Gateless Sangha at Airway Heights Corrections Center in Spokane, Washington. It is a vehicle for assisting meditators in their prison exit and transition process. Sometimes we can provide social and/or financial assistance (such as help in finding housing or small revolving grants for transition necessities).

Qualifying for Transition Services

To qualify for Open Gate transition services, of course, there is a form (two actually—one for dynamic assistance and a second one if applying for financial assistance.) Verification and recommendation letters are also required from a prison chaplain, a volunteer/sponsor of the prison meditation group, or preferably both.

Volunteering to Help

To join the ranks of Open Gate volunteers, call or write. We are looking for persons who are: experienced in practice in a meditation tradition, stable in their lives and practice, and who are willing to undertake either to go into prison or other “correctional facility” to help sponsor a sitting group there and/or to help meditators as they transition to the community.

Helping our Budget

Financial assistance is always needed. Make checks out to Open Gate Community and send them to the brochure address. We are a Church chartered as a nonprofit corporation in Montana. We are in the process of applying for IRS recognition.

Latest Information

Our web page is under construction at:
www.r-b.com/opengate

Soon you will be able to consult it for up-to-date information, copies of application forms, etc.

We can be reached by Email at:
OpenGateNW@aol.com





Copyright Open Gate Community, 2001. All rights reserved.

¹ Interbeing, Parallax Press, Third Edition, 1998.